End pocket closure means for flexible pocket receptacles



D. J. BROUGHTON Dec. 16, 1947;

END POCKET CLOSURE MEANS FOR FLEXIBLE POCKET RECEPTACLES Filed Sept. 26, 1945 ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 16, 1947 UE E E END POCKET CLOSURE MEANS FOR FLEXIBLE POCKET RECEPTACLES Jouglas l Eroughton, Springfield, Mass, assignor to Buxton, Incorporated, Springfield, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application September 26, 1945, Serial No. 618,753

1 Claim. (Cl. 150'-'-'38) This invention relates to an improvement in flexible pocket receptacles, more particularly to billfolds of the type in which one portion of the billfold is folded upon another portion about a transverse line of fold. For a proper understanding of the purposes and advantages of the departures from standard practice involved in my present invention it is necessary to consider certain of the features of conventional billfold construction.

In the usual conventional construction a single transverse fold is provided in the billfold and this fold is made centrally of the billfold to bring the end edges of the billfold together when the billfold is folded. This arrangement which has become almost universal in practice has become standard practice for several reasons.

In the first place some arrangement for contraction of the inner wall is necessary to avoid unsightly and destructive buckling of the inner wall at the folding zone. It is difiicult to provide such contraction at more than one place. Furthermore most billfold users desire to carry cards, such as pass cards, small papers and the like in their billfolds. The capacity for carrying such cards must be provided in pockets at the sides of the folding zone of the billfold and the size of the cards precludes more than one fold in the billfold. The length of the billfold when folded is therefore in practice governed by the length of pocket necessary to satisfactorily carry pass cards and the like, plus half the length of the folding zone about which the two sections of the billfold are folded one on the other. This folded length varies somewhat but is usually between four and five inches. If made shorter it is done at the expense of an adequate length of the card pockets or of an adequate Width of folding zone. To secure the desired card capacity it is customary to provide card pockets on both end sections of the billfold on opposite sides of the folding zone, the folding zone being positioned centrally of the billfold. One undesirable result of this is that the bill compartment is much longer than is necessary to accommodate the bills.

In the conventional billfold as above described, the ends of the billfold are superposed when the billfold is folded. As a result there is an objectionable tenclency, when the folded billfold is thrust into a pocket, for loose change, keys, or other articles which maybe present in the pocket to become inserted between the folded sections of the billfold and to be Withdrawn with the billfold when the latter is withdrawn from the pocket. In order to minimize this tendency and to make the billfold more compact a closure strap or flap is sometimes provided on one end of the billfold which is folded around the other end and fastened by means of a snap fastener. If a relati'vely narrow strap is used articles still may become wedgedbetween the sections at the portions of the ends adjacent the strap and where a wide flap is employed articles may become caught beneath the overfolded flap at the sides of the snap fastener.

A further objection to the usual construction is the bulky appearance of the billfold which is increased by the addition of the closure strap or flap.

It is the object of my present invention to provide a billfold construction which without substantial sacrifice of its useful capacity will avoid the objections and difficulties above mentioned, make a more economical and efiicient use of material, provide a less bulky and heater billfold of greatly improved appearance.

Other objects and advantages residing in the novel'structural features by which my general purpose is achieved will be made apparent in the following specification and claim.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate one embodiment of my invention,

Fig. I is a view' of a blank from which the billfold is folded up;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig 1 showing the blank partially folded up, parts being broken away;

Fig. 3 shows the completed billfold in open position;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view substantially on line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing the billfold closed; and

Fig. 6 is an edge view looking from the bottom of Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawings, my novel billfold is constructed from a blank generally indicated at I. This blank is preferably a unitary piece of leather or other suitable material, but obviously the parts may be assembled from parts stitched or otherwise secured together if desired.

As shown the blank includes a rear wall member 2, an intermediate wall member 3, a relatively long panel member 4 and a relatively short panel member 5. The intermediate wall member 3 extends from one end of rear wall 2 and an end closure member 6 extends from the opposite end of wall member 2. To the outer end of the end closure member 6 is cemented, or otherwise suitably secured, a stifily flexible plate member 3 7. I have found a relatively thin plate of a stifily flexible plastic suitable for this purpose. The length of the rear wall member between members 6 and 3, that is the length of the bill compartment, is only slightly larger than the length of the currency to be carried by the billfold. The relatively short panel member 5 extends from the lower edge of the rear wall member 2 adjacent one end thereof and the relatively long panel member 4 extends from the lower edge of the rear wall member adjacent the opposite end thereof. Panel member 4 is preferably connected to the rear wall by an inwardly foldable gusset portion 8. The panel l is of a length longitudinally'of the billfold sufficient to form a pocket, when the panel 4 is folded onto the rear wall 2 as later described, having a longitudinal depth adequate to properly accommodate large size pass cards and the like. The panels 3 and 5 are spaced from each other on opposite sides of a transverse folding zone, the center line of which is indicated at 9. The length of panel 4 at least equals and preferably exceeds half the length of the rear wall when the length of the latter does not substantially exceed the length of paper currency to be carried in the bill compartment. The transverse zone of fold 9 is therefore offset from the center of the billfold.

That edge of panel 4 which is opposite the edge which is connected to the rear wall is provided with a flap ill preferably connected to the panel by a gusset forming portion H. The outer end edge of flap I carries a lock tab 12. Panel 6 is provided with a slit [3, extending substantially from one edge of the panel to the other, for a purpose later described. As shown, slit I3 is at right angles to the upper and lower edges of the panel, but it may be inclined if desired. It may also be curved or otherwise shaped.

That edge of short panel 5 which is opposite the edge which is connected to the rear wall is provided with a flap l4, the latter having a tongue l5 extending from its outer end edge.

The outer end edge of panel 6 is provided with an extension comprising parts I6, I! and I8.

The upper edge of the rear wall is preferably provided with a portion [9 which is folded over and cemented to the back wall, as shown in Fig. 1, to provide a finished edge. The exposed portion of the lower edge is provided with a similar portion 20 which is also cemented to the back wall, as shOWn in Fig. 2, for the same purpose. The portions of the edges of intermediate wall member 3 which in the finished billfold are exposed between the panels 4 and 5 are also provided with similar edge finishing portions 2| (Fig. 1).

In the set u billfold the intermediate wall member 3 is folded onto the rear wall as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. Panel 4 is folded onto the rear wall with flap IE] extending downwardly between the free end portion of the intermediate wall member 3 and the rear wall, the gusset pieces 8 and II being infolded between the panel 4 and the intermediate wall member as shown at 8 in Fig. 2. The tab 12 is folded around the outer end edge and cemented to the face of the panel 4.

As shown in Fig. 2 the short panel 5 is folded onto rear wall 2 with flap H5 extending downwardly between the intermediate wall member 3 and the rear wall. Tongue 15 extends through an opening 22 formed in the hinge of the intermediate wall'member 3. As shown in Fig, 2, tongue l5 underlies portion H5 extending from the panel 5.

Portion I1 is folded rearwardly, as viewed in Figs. 2 and 3, and cemented to portion 16 with tongue l5 between them, one side of the tongue, as best shown in Fig. 4, being cemented to portion It and the other side to portion I1. Portion l8 which is relatively narrow is left free.

End closure member 6 is folded onto panel 5 and the stiffi flexible plate member 1 is inserted in slit I3, with the plate member 1 extending toward the adjacent end of the billfold, as best shown in Figs, 3 and 4, to lock the end closure in place. The flap 6 is so proportioned that the attached edge of plate 1 lies along the edge of slit E3, the outer edge of the slit being enclosed in the bight formed at the connection of member 1 to member 6. The edge of the slit is thus rendered rigid and the adjacent portions of panel 4 and flap 6 which overlie the plate 7 are stiffened. As a result of this construction the slit IS, in spite of its length, is prevented from gapping Where the slit i3 is employed as in the present structure as one member of the means for releasably holding the billfold closed it is preferably made to extend as nearly from edge to edge of panel 4 as is permissible. It may however be made of any desired length.

The relatively stiif two-pl extension l6ll' forms a closure member which is inserted in slit 3 to hold the billfold closed as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, portion I 3 forming a free extension for manipulating the closure.

As will be apparent from Fig. 3, a bill compartment 23 is provided between the rear wall 2 and the front wall assembly which assembly includes the intermediate wall member 3 and panels 3 and 5. One end of the bill compartment is closed by member 6 and the other end by the fold forming the hinge of intermediate wall member 3. This bill compartment is of sufficient length to nicely accommodate the bills full length. I find that an excess of approximately one-half inch at each end of the bills gives an adequate and preferable length to the bill compartment. Panel 3 provides a pocket 24 opening toward the fold line 9. For the purposes of my invention I find an adequate and preferable length of panel 4, lengthwise of the billfold, t be approximately two-thirds of the length of the bills to be carried in the bill compartment. At least panel 4 has a length equal to one half the length of the main body of the billfold. The provision of the gussets 8 and H gives pocket 24 a card capacity approximating that of the two opposed pockets found in conventional billfolds and used for card carrying purposes. Panel 5 is substantially shorter than panel 4. At a maximum the longitudinal extent of panel 4 will be less than one half of the length of the main body of the billfold by the longitudinal extent of the folding zone. The panel 5 thus forms a short pocket 25 which, as shown, may be provided with a transparent window glass 28 for displaying a small identification card. Pocket 25 may also be used to accommodate stamps, small loose papers, tickets, and the like, or a spare key.

As is apparent from Fig. 5 my novel construction gives the billfold when closed a unique and trim appearance. Its overall length when folded is well within the desirable four to five inch dimension. Also as clearly shown in Fig. 6 both ends of the folded billfold are completely closed presenting no opportunity for loose articles, in the pocket in which the billfold is carried, to become interengaged with the billfold at its ends.

As shown, the interengaging closure member l6-l1 and slit l3 both extend substantially across the full width of the panel 4. The wide closure shown gives an improved appearance to the closed billfold and, because it attaches the entire end edge of the overfolded short section to the long section, completely prevents loose articles from working their way beneath the end of the overfolded short end section of the billfold.

The use of the stiflly flexible plate member 1 to hold the end closing member 6 in position prevents, as above pointed out, any undesirable gappin at the slit l3. At the same time the member 7 provides a secure, smooth fastening of the end closure while permitting a slight sliding movement of the end closure suificient to afiord proper operation of the inner wall elements. The extension l8 being narrow and flexible there is no danger of articles being caught and held beneath it. The action of plate member 1 tends to keep slit 135 closed so that the chancesof articles working their Way into the slit are remote. The member I8 is a further guard against the entrance of loosearticles into the slit.

As best shown in Fig. 6 the closed billfold has a wedge shaped cross section, the end of the billfold which is closed by member 6 presenting a relatively thin edge which facilitates the easy slipping of the closed billfold into the pocket in which it is to be carried.

The billfold of my present invention while affording a carrying capacity substantially equal to that of conventional billfolds, is far more compact, less bulky and far more trim and neat in appearance, and overcomes the previously mentioned objectionable features of the prior constructions.

I claim:

A billfold comprising front and rear walls connected along their end and bottom edges to provide a bill compartment having a length only 6 slightly longer than the length of the bills to be carried therein, said billfold being divided into two spaced end sections the space between said sections providing a folding zone about which one end section may be folded onto the other end section, one of said sections having a length at least equal to half the total length Of the billfold, the other end section being shorter by at least the longitudinal extent of the folding zone, the long section being formed with a slit extending substantially from its upper edge to its lower edge, an end closure member extending from the adjacent end of the rear wall and folded onto said long section to close the end of the bill compartment, the end edge of said end closure member being inserted in and folded around the edge of said slit, a stiffly flexible plate member secured to the infolded edge of the end closure member, and a closure member hinged to the short section end of the billfold and insertable in said slit beneath said plate member for releasably securing said end of the billfold to the long section substantially throughout the entire length of the edge of said end, to hold the billfold closed and bar entrance of loose articles beneath the folded short section.

DOUGLAS J. BROUGHTON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 201,201 Rundlett Mar. 12, 1878 1,694,186 LEnfant Dec. 4, 1928 1,786,896 Conger Dec. 30, 1930 1,865,881 Ottinger July 5, 1932 2,347,338 Sherwood Apr. 25, 1944 2,366,875 Renz Jan. 9, 1945 

